Buffer bloat continues to cause latency problems for all kinds of network traffic, e.g., internet protocol traffic. Existing technologies address buffer bloat via a straightforward implementation where the element with the buffer bloat discards one or more packets in the buffer. Existing techniques are designed to operate on the element experiencing buffer bloat by using said element to prevent congestion by discarding packets that are not yet scheduled or transmitted. For example, Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) cable network standards related to buffer bloat explicitly require a cable modem experiencing upstream buffer bloat to drop the packet before transmitting it upstream. Conventionally, it has been desirable for various reasons that the bloated element, e.g., a cable modem element in a cable network, to control the discard of packets to eliminate the cable modem's buffer bloat. For example, conventional techniques cite reserving resources as support for dropping packets prior to any scheduling or transmission of such packets in the element experiencing the buffer bloat.
It is noted that while the accompanying Figures serve to illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments, other concepts described herein are not necessarily required to be displayed in a Figure to understand, as the details would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.